


NickVail Pre-Canon Collection

by XENDRAENYX



Category: The Mummy (2017)
Genre: Gen, LGBTQ Themes, M/M, Military, Minor Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pre-Canon, Slurs, a lesbian is going to kick a raging homophobe's ass :)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:13:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25874908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XENDRAENYX/pseuds/XENDRAENYX
Summary: Possible use of slurs (censored). And swearing.A collection of stories/chapters from the lives of Nick Morton and Chris Vail, set before the events of The Mummy (2017).
Relationships: Nick Morton/Chris Vail
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	NickVail Pre-Canon Collection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A peculiarly friendly invite to breakfast, and some new friends.

Nick found himself gazing around the shower room at the other men in his squadron. It was a dumb habit of his; he snapped out of it and got dressed quickly. Next to him was a man about his age, also getting dressed. On his locker read "C. Vail". He's seen him around quite a bit, usually in the mess hall. He had a cute smile, and his laugh was bright and warm. He's not sure why they have shower room lockers next to each other; wouldn't they be in alphabetical order? Either way, Nick won't complain, as he quite enjoys Vail's silent company.

Vail, on the other hand, is extremely perceptive of Nick's glances. He's watched the way he behaves around him, almost nervous to speak up. He sees the name on Nick's locker, and turns towards him. "Hey, uh, Morton."

Nick freezes. "Y-yeah, uh...?"

"Name's Chris, " he laughs, "Do you, maybe, want to go get breakfast together?"

 _Fuck. What do I say to him? Compliment him on his hair? His beard?_ "S-sure, I'd like that. I'm, uh, Nick." He holds out his hand.

Chris firmly shakes Nick's hand, giving him a bright smile. "I guess, uh, I'll see you in a bit, Nick. I'll wave you down." He stands up, dressed, and leaves the space.

Nick buries his face in his hands. What the fuck, did he literally just say hi to me? Did he just invite me to breakfast? What do I do now? Do I go meet him or skip breakfast out of–

"HEY, MORTON!" A loud shout and a wet towel strike pulls Nick out of his flushed embarrassment. "Saw you talking to Vail just now, did you ask him to suck his dick?" The brash voice and laugh belonged to a man taller than both himself and Chris, with broad shoulders and slick blonde hair.

"Fuck off, Devan. And no, I did not." Nick whipped him back with his now dried towel, not intending to inflict as much pain as he received.

"Yeah, sure, f*g. Bet you're gonna go let him fuck you later tonight," Devan mockingly jeered at Nick. This isn't the first time.

"Devan, lay off Morton, will you?" Master Sergeant Granwell barked out. "None of the other boys need to hear the absolute slander you're so elaborate on. Go on, leave him alone." Granwell was about as tall as Devan, but looked more battle-worn and aged. He had a kind gaze and salt-and-pepper hair. Devan walked off with some other squad boys, scoffing at Granwell's protection of Nick.

"Should teach him and his friends a lesson or two about tolerance, " Granwell sat down next to Nick, "You alright?"

"Y-yeah. I'm used to it, though, sir." Nick slipped on his shirt, rubbing his lower back. "It's not something you should worry about."

"No can do, Morton. You're part of this squad, and you deserve as much respect as the next fella. I don't know about other Master Sergeants, but in my squad there ain't no such thing as intolerance. You all fight together, you all respect each other." Granwell clasped Nick's shoulder firmly. "Now, I don't give a damn whether you fly your flag up, down, or sideways, but that don't mean you don't have dignity."

"It's nothing, I promise, sir. V-Vail just asked me to join him for breakfast, that's all. Devan doesn't really mean it." Nick tried to excuse the insults he received for preferring men over women, knowing it really wasn't okay but that he could handle it. "It... it comes with the military."

"I know you've heard about 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell', son. But if any of the other boys gives you beef, I'll give them beef. I ain't tolerating no bullshit here. Go on, go get breakfast. Clear your mind." He spoke softer, barely audible over the clamor of the other men finishing their showers, "I am bisexual myself, Morton. I know. I dealt with the same thing when I first joined. If either you or Vail have any problems, you come to me first, understood?"

Nick nods. "Of course, sir." He put on his jacket and closed up his locker. "T-thank you, sir."

Granwell said no more, only giving Nick a supportive smile as he rose and left.

* * *

Nick follows through the canteen line, scooping himself a serving of scrambled eggs, hash browns, a sausage patty, and two slices of bacon. It's of pretty average quality, nothing spectacular. He grabs a couple salt and pepper packets, as well as some ketchup. The canteen itself is getting rowdy, with so many people filing in. In one corner, Nick can hear Devan roughing it with some others, as he usually does during meals. In the opposite corner sits Master Sergeant Granwell and some of the higher-ranking officers.

_I have no idea what Devan’s trying to achieve, fighting virtually anyone who matches his gaze. Is he that... insecure about himself? Is “insecure” even the right word? What is he trying to prove?_

“Hey, Nick! Over here!” Vail’s clear voice and bright smile pull Nick back, calming his thoughts. Nick hurries over, settling down next to him.

An even more bearded man sitting across from Vail beams towards Nick. “Morton, right? I’m Seagle, or as the others call me, Seagull,” he laughs.

Nick blushes, “Nice to meet you, Seagle.” He looks over to Vail.

“Oh, don’t worry about these guys. We’ve been friends since high school,” he gestures to Seagle and three others immediately to the left and right of them. He introduces them one by one:

“Jeff Seagle, my best buddy since childhood,” The tall, scruffy, lumberjack-looking one.

“Nayda, resident butch, never told us her first name.” The fierce female friend of the group.

“And Viper. They’re the newest addition to the group. But that’s you now,” Vail grins, and Viper waves.

“Nice to meet you three. So, you knew each other before the military?”

“Sure did. In high school. We were the rag-tag bastards who hung out on school rooftops,” Nayda smirked.

Viper barks up, “That’s totally not what happened. We hung out with the band kids after we ended up in detention _because_ we were on the roof.” They jab at Nayda.

“And, uh, what about you, Jeff?” Nick asks meekly.

He laughs. “Viper and Nayda do that a lot. Viper’s half-right, though. We served _a lot_ of lunch detentions. But _not_ because of being on rooftops. It was because we skipped mandatory sermons. We went to a Christian private school.”

Nick and Chris simultaneously gag. “God, it was the worst. We somehow survived though. But we’re here in the army, now, still together,” Chris finishes Seagle’s thought, “They hated you two _so much_ ,” he points to Nayda and Viper.

“Yeah, no _shit,_ Vail.” Nayda spits in her empty coffee mug. “What are you gonna do with big nasty lesbo Nayda and ambivalent cryptid Viper?” She smirks.

“I hated it. Why couldn’t we have been in a normal high school?” Viper pouts, and Seagle gives them a comforting shoulder rug. “We wouldn’t have had to deal with all of _that!_ Maybe high school wouldn’t have been the worst years of my life!”

Nick laughs nervously, “I, uh, didn’t go to a private Christian high school. But I hated it anyway, because...” _Well, shit. You dug yourself into a hole._

Nayda perks up. “Was it because you graffitied the indoor basketball court? Trashed the auditorium? Stole an expensive computer?”

“Dude, calm down, Nayda! I bet he didn’t do any kind of stuff like that.” Jeff looks worriedly over to Nick. “He seems friendly and self-respecting and wouldn’t do that!”

“No, uh, it was because I was a little more open with myself than some of the teachers and staff liked. I hung out in the art room a lot after I noticed. She let me hide in the art supply closet and eat my lunch privately.”

Nayda grimaces. “Oh, yeah. I get you now. The Christian school just had to deal with my dumb gay ass,” she laughs proudly. Viper nods sympathetically. “But Vail invited you to join us, I wonder why!” she smirks at Chris, looking smug.

“Because Nick is a nice guy, and I thought it’d be nice to invite him to breakfast! We bump into each other a lot!”

“We’re _all_ squadmates. Of course you’re gonna bump into each other, Chris,” She glances back over to Nick, “Nah, I’ve heard some of the mutterings of your name, Morton. I dunno what kinda impression you’re trying to give, but they usually involve that fuck Devan. You want me to beat him up for you? He sounds like a real straighty fuckbag.”

“W-what? No, no, he doesn’t need that, Nayda. He’s just... like that,” Nick shrugs.

“Usually homophobes aren’t on purpose. I’ve seen him kick your ass before. I’ll teach him,” Nayda growls, but Viper holds her down. “You’re part of us now. So that means I’m on your side, Morton.”

“I don’t want Granwell to get on your ass, though!”

“Granwell will understand. Hasn’t he dealt with Devan before?” Viper chirps.

“He didn’t say he has. I’d like to know why, or else I’ll kick his ass too.”

“God, don’t do that, Nayda. He’s just trying to help me,” he swallows a large mouthful of bland egg.

“Yeah, Granwell’s a nice dude, Nayda,” Jeff looks at her, “Why’d you wanna hurt him anyway?”

“Bitch better square up Devan or I’ll do it for him.”

Chris and Viper sigh together.

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to Roch, Paige, Nancy and Oaksy of the Discord.
> 
> Y'all power me to write and draw NickVail content.


End file.
